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Animal Rights

This is such an important day for me, even though I believe every day is vegan day this one is one which I definitely think needs to be celebrated! Today is even more special for me because today I start the journey of being the Head Chef at #jivamuktiyogateachertraining. Which to me is just bringing a vegan yoga revolution to the people. I feel so blessed & so honoured with this opportunity.

Being vegan has brought me so many gifts. Like my super romantic vegan love story (you buy a “vegan revolution” tshirt one day and then fall in love & fly 20.000 miles to start the best love story a person can imagine) or the fact that I’m running a vegan cafe with my best friend, or teach vegan yoga…. well the list is long. I also has the absolute pleasure last summer to hang out with 5 beautiful creatures in the country side of France! Which was absolute heaven. I think sometimes vegans can feel really lost, misunderstood, lonely, frustrated, angry and most of all sad. I don’t have that thatmuch as I have the privilege to be surrounded by many incredible vegans who are my daily inspiration & encouragement my sweet boyfriend Miguel being my biggest inspiration! But yes it can get a little lonely and demotivating at times. So to spend a week in vegan heaven with these super cool people eating such incredible, fresh, yummy, plant-based, delicious food was just divine! I still think of it often. How connected I felt. That is so beautiful to feel that you aren’t the only one, that it isn’t just your fight. I feel blessed with all other fellow vegans in my life, who I have had the pleasure connecting with world wide….. I love you all and I thank you all, especially on this day.

Being vegan is a life style not a diet! It’s about loving, respecting & honouring all life. It’s about standing out and making a difference. It’s about feeling nothing but love & goodness for this world & everyone in it. It’s about understanding the difference between something and someone. It’s a path we all walk together hand in hand. Side by side. No matter our race, religion, colour, preferences. We are all in this together, this is our fight for what is right. Surround yourself wire positive, awesome, inspiring, encouraging & motivating people who will make you even stronger, more willing, more motivated and more empowered to keep going on pure plant based power!

Miguel and I (and our fierce neighbour Sergio) rescued a beautiful soul from the street two weeks ago. I have known this dog for quite a while, he was always on this tiny balcony, he always seemed to express such anxiety and unhappiness to me, I always really felt for him. After his house burned down he was left nothing else but a life on the street which was of course incredibly tough. He also has been abused, kicked in the legs, beaten, kicked by people on the street, you name it and STILL when I would see him he was just a bundle of nothing but pure love. Coming up to me, for hugs, wagging his tail non stop. His situation got so bad, he was obviously not eating enough, he was so dirty, drained, exhausted and I feel close to death. We HAD to do something.

The three of us got Tó away from his horrible street life, he was taken to the hospital where he was very well looked after, surprisingly nothing was wrong with him, no diseases or anything just a lot of dirt, flees and parasites. He got all cleaned up & spent a week with us. You could tell he was so happy to have a home, a pack, people (humans and dog people) who gave him love, food, shelter. He made such an incredible progress real quick. I thought training him to go to the toilet outside would be hard, or teaching him what dog food is but no Tó just got it all straight away, a little confused at first but picking it up fast. I am so incredibly grateful for all he taught me.

Tó showed me what true love means, he showed me what trust means, what having an open heart means. He has such a kind heart, such a precious soul, his eyes they transformed, as soon as we got him off the street, away from the torture & suffering he just turned into a different dog. I believe he has now become the dog he was always meant to be. This is the life he should have been given 9 years ago. Tó literally went from the street to the beach in a week. He is currently in the care of some beautiful people in Ericeira where he is receiving so much love and care and enjoys daily beach walks. We are still looking for a forever home for him though, so please get in touch if you are interested or know of anyone who is. He has given me so much in such little time, I am forever grateful we met & seeing his progress, his big smile now, his happiness warms my heart and gives me tears of joy.

I love you Tó!

Please also check this BLOG where I have interviewed Carly another amazing dog rescuer who shares her story about rescuing her dogs & how much it has changed her life for the better.

Social media….. i have a love hate relationship with it BUT what i do love about all this is the amazing connections you can actually make with strangers. Strangers who don’t even feel like strangers at all, they feel like family, like minded souls who strive for the same & who fight the same fight. Just through some other Instagram accounts i came across this beautiful rescue dog: Martha @carrotsandcarlos. I commented on a few of the posts, Carly commented back and BOOM a connection was made through the heart. Truly special. Carly lives in North Carolina (USA) and here i am in Lisbon, Portugal but somehow we connected, somehow our stars were aligned. My dear teacher & coach @barbaraberger describes this as being on the same frequency. This is the thing, you can be miles away from each other, but yet you can be on the same frequency. Seeing her posts, how she describes her relationship with Martha just brings such hope to my heart. With great love all is possible (@sharongannon) which indeed is the ultimate truth. There is so much suffering in this world, the torture & cruelty animal beings have to endure on a daily basis is just so horrific to find a gorgeous soul like Carly who put it upon herself to rescue this wonderful girl & give her a chance to REAL LIFE to real LOVE, that to me is just priceless.

Here is a little blurb from the blog she wrote about Martha, she full blog HERE.

So i decided to do something fun. I wanted to open up a dialogue between me and Carly and share this with the world. 10 questions from Lisbon to North Carolina….. Please have a read & check out her story & the connection her and i made just by flicking through accounts on Instagram.

1- Carly, please tell the world why you are vegan.

I am vegan because I feel it absolutely imperative to align my actions with my morals.

About two years ago a life-changing curiosity altered my story forever. It wasn’t some big event or experience necessarily, but simply a thought. I wanted to know where the products I purchased came from. Not which factory, or if the animals were fed grass or lived ‘cage free’- I thought it was necessary to understand their life, and their death, if I was going to be responsible for it. I didn’t go right to the graphic videos, instead I researched the basic fundamentals of how animals were raised for food, for clothing, for cosmetics, for prescriptions and so on. Whoa. This was the moment that would change my understanding of the world forever. I said that I loved animals, but I paid people to do cruel and unthinkable things to them. I paid for that. I did that. After the guilt came the desire to do something- to go vegan. I contribute in large part, my relationship with a little squirrel friend, Squee (her story can be found on my blog), in allowing my wandering mind onto this brilliant and life-changing moment. Experiencing such a genuine relationship with such an unlikely little creature certainly changed how I viewed relationships with all species. Squee made me look past the appearance, past the species, and understand the relationship is with the deepest part of the soul. Once I realized the intense destruction the industry is causing on the animals, the Earth, the human animals, our health, and more- it made the choice simple to successfully begin my cruelty-free life. It was, without-a-doubt, the best decision that I’ve ever made.

2- You describe this very well on your blog, but can you give us a brief explanation on how Martha came into your life?

How did Martha join my pack? Martha is a little grunting, farting, tuxedo-wearing pitbull/hippo mutt. She really is one of the coolest souls I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. We aren’t sure of the details of her life before animal control found her, but we know when they found her it was almost too late. Someone had locked her inside of a car on some abandoned property, left to die. I don’t know much more other than that the officer who found her had an unusually intense reaction because of the severity of her state. My husband, Bryan, and I had decided we were ready to foster another dog the day that Martha and I first met. Bryan still chuckles under his breath every time that I say ‘foster’, simply because Meg and Chuck (permanent resident shenanigan starters of our pack) were also foster animals once upon a time… When I first adopted Meg, the director of the local shelter, Judy, brought her out to me. I still remember Meg hugging Judy and kissing her face so gently- I knew I loved Meg when I saw her show love that day. I went into that same shelter the day I met Martha and spent time with a bunch of great pups, each deserving of love- as they all are. We live near a population which ultimately results in a high number of Pit Bull type dogs in the shelters, each sweeter than the last. Unfortunately, each story sometimes sadder than the last. When Judy asked which dog I was interested in taking home that day, I mentioned a few sad pups who particularly tugged at my heart. Judy said nothing other than “Wait right here”. I waited. I was watching the door she had disappeared through, a little confused, and saw her reappear shortly after tugging gently at a leash with an animal on the other end out of my sight- and who wouldn’t come through the doorway. She chuckled softly, gently encouraged the frightened pup, and walked back out my vision. Then she reappeared. She was carrying this tiny, skinny, little sweet potato of a dog who’s tail was wagging so fast. She was precious! She was familiar. She looked JUST like Meg! Judy knew what she was doing that day. She knew I fell in love with Meg. She knew I would fall in love with Martha too. She was right. I owe a special thank you to Judy, and one day I’ll find the right way to share that with her. Martha came home with us that day, and hasn’t left our pack since. Her story is only getting more beautiful!

Meg & Martha

3- Do you feel Martha makes you a better person? And how?

Martha has without-a-doubt made me a better person. They all do. There’s something about Martha that really lit a fire in my soul though. A fire I hadn’t realized needed lighting. She required a large sacrifice right off the bat as a stubborn dog who had no training, had been abused, starved, and emotionally traumatized. We couldn’t pick her up without getting bit for the first few months we had her. If we tried she would bite, run away and eventually hide in her crate trembling. When we needed to get her into the bathtub we had to trick her into it, and that only sometimes worked. Bryan and I got bit a lot, but never hurt. She never wanted to hurt us. Martha wanted us to know that she didn’t trust us, that she felt too vulnerable, and that she was hurt before. Frustrations aside, we understood. I don’t blame her, I never blamed her, for any of those bites. We became frustrated, defeated at times, but we never blamed her for it. Why would she trust anyone after what she had been through?

This is the beautiful part- this is why I know that Martha has indeed changed my soul for the better. The decision to allow Martha recovery and sanctuary as a member of our pack challenged me on many levels. It challenged my role as a wife, as a mother, and as a caretaker. It required a great deal of patience from each member of my family, but ultimately we did it, we found our groove. We seem to make a bit more sense when we’re helping others, and I think Martha made me realize that. I watch her now, laying in my lap receiving belly scratches, or letting my husband hold her like a baby and pretend throw her on the bed…these are the only moments that matter anymore. Martha challenged my patience, my strength, my fortitude, but most importantly our relationship as a pack. She has made me stronger, and she has made me certain that we have found our purpose. These souls deserve so much, and if we can offer them so little…why wouldn’t we? Martha ensures my confidence in the path my life is taking, the path our family is taking, and she has played a large role in solidifying our purpose as a pack. To Martha, we will be forever grateful.

4- Is your environment acceptive of your veganism or do you feel there is resistance? How do you deal with that?

The environment I currently live is certainly lacking in the acceptance of veganism. Or quite frankly even the knowledge of it. Our family is temporarily restricted to an area (career reasons) where we don’t necessarily fit in with the ‘norm’. In a few years we will be off to find land which feels more like home, but for now we make do. I think what the general masses don’t understand is that Veganism isn’t a diet, or a fad…it’s a way of life. A beautiful way of life! Although I am seeing vegan options sprinkled into my local community, like the plant-based smoothies at the local coffee shop or the grocery store carrying vegan labeled products, it really is tough living in a society where dead animal parts are displayed on windows of buildings as a “normal” way of life. People would be outraged if these were dogs and cats. If the fact that I’m vegan ever comes up in conversation, I find that folks tend to change their perception fairly quickly. People tend to label vegans as “off”, which I certainly am but it has nothing to do with me being vegan, I just happen to appreciate the beauty found in the weird. Keep in mind, I don’t offer myself a vegan as a calling card, it’s typically brought up when I’m offered dead animal parts to which I reply “no thank you”. Then the questions start- Are you a vegetarian? Are you a VEGAN? (Always such a weird emphasis on ‘vegan’.)

Why don’t you eat meat? Where do you get your protein? I couldn’t go vegan, isn’t is hard? Although my environment is really anything but accepting of veganism, I do see it changing. People are starting to learn the truth, and although we all wish it would happen sooner, I’m just relieved it’s happening at all. Until then- we lead by example, educate as folks will listen, save the souls we can and prepare for a brilliant future. The veganism movement gets more beautiful with each new member, with each new bad-ass rebel protecting the animals. Currently living in a country which I cannot be proud of, love means more to me than ever before. I believe that love with win, I just hope it happens soon.

5- What advice would you give to people who are thinking about adopting a dog?

Do it! BUT prepare first.

a. Don’t choose a dog because of his or her looks, choose them because of their soul. Spend time with these animals, and don’t expect that you’ll meet your soulmate right away. Sometimes you have to get to know an animal before you realize they were always a part of your heart, you just hadn’t met yet.

b. Prepare for missteps. This is not failure on your dogs part, this is not failure on your part. This simply means that as the leader of your pack you need to teach, and you need to learn. You need to teach your new pack member what you expect, and remember to have kind and reasonable expectations. You need to learn your animals wants, needs, and desires. Please don’t ever adopt a dog to ‘have’ a dog. Adopt a dog to save a life, to add to your family, and to share more love and receive more love than you could ever be prepared for!

c. Educate yourself. Understand the true dietary and living requirements of your dog, and don’t conform to a “normal” diet or life because it’s easy.

Fun fact- dogs can be vegan. In fact, they THRIVE being vegan. Meg & Martha are both plant based pit bulls, and are healthier than they ever were on a previously meat based diet.

d. Remember to do all things with love. Every action you have with your dog should represent how you would treat a family member, because they are just that- family.

e. If you aren’t sure if you’re ready to adopt a dog- foster! Maybe you’ll even foster and fall in love, like we did. (Chuck & Meg are both foster fails.) OR volunteer…that’s a great place to start!

f. Enjoy!

6- What is your take on social media, seeing thats how we found each other…..

This is a funny question, because I am very much an introvert who lives in peace out of the scope of others, and yet here we are. It wasn’t until recently that we decided as a family that one day operating a larger scale rescue/foster organization was potentially attainable, that I decided to start sharing our story with the world. Ironically, you were one of the first connections I made on Instagram, and what an amazing connection it turned out to be! I’ve had personal accounts in the past, which consisted mostly of photos of our pets, and I finally decided- why not! Why not share the stories of these beautiful souls to anyone who wants to hear them. Our animals, like so many more, are so inspiring and restore such hope to our lives. It came down to this- if I could change even ONE person’s mind to encourage kindness or compassion…then why wouldn’t I do it? I’ve watched organizations such as Rancho Relaxo or Goats of Anarchy gain love and support from once strangers across the world, through the stories of their animals…it’s simply awe-inspiring. Not only do organizations such as these save the animals they directly care for, they save all of those affected by their followers! Imagine how many people have gone vegan because of the people who decided to share their stories, and the people that then those people encouraged. The beauty is in the ripple, you see! It’s such a bigger picture. Social media allows people from across the globe to connect on a deep, and personal level in regards to a very precious part of our souls. Although with it comes bullying and hate…I believe the beauty in the kindness shared overcomes it. Why? Because social media helped me go vegan. Some kind soul shared something on social media years ago which sparked an idea in my mind. That idea slowly formed, thanks to many other motivators, a life-changing and brilliant event- veganism. I’m grateful to read the stories of others, and I’m grateful for those who choose to read ours. Thank you, from a very special place in my soul.

7- Describe yourself in 5 words.

Devoted, Kind, Strong, Empathetic, Sarcastic

8- Describe Martha in 5 words.

Fierce, Resilient, Loving, Remarkable, Bad-ass

9- What makes the relationship with Martha so profound and special for you?

Sometimes when I look at Martha, my mind wanders to her past. I can’t help but imagine the despicable things this gentle girl had to accept as “life” for years, and yet the day we brought her home she immediately jumped into my husband’s lap on the couch, wagging her tail, asking for affection. Physical and emotional scars didn’t stop this girl from wanting to live…to love. Did we have our set backs? Of course. But she always wanted love, I’m sure it’s all she’s ever wanted. She craves affection, as I do, and we seek each other out when we yearn for comfort. She rests on my chest almost every night before bed breathing deeply in my ear, and I tend to fall fast asleep in her gentle embrace. Martha’s affection is intoxicating, but originally I was drawn to her utter strength. Here is this dog who was tortured, starved and left for dead- and yet she never lost her will for life…for love. I want to heal her, to take away her pain- and then she reminds me that I don’t have to. She doesn’t need my sympathy, no, she needs my strength. Martha has given me this brilliant new perspective on empathy. If I have the ability to change something, someone, then what good does sympathy do? Martha has proven to be the teacher that I didn’t know I needed. The comfort that I didn’t know I was without. She allows my love to flow through my purpose, and for her I am forever grateful.

10- Whats your favourite vegan food & what is Martha’s?

Hands-down, without a doubt, Martha’s favorite food is bananas! If this sweet girl hears a banana open, you better brace yourself because she will hit you with some hard puppy eyes! The dog loves bananas. She also loves, well, all other foods. Sugar snap peas, apples, sweet potatoes, coconut oil, brussels sprouts, melon, blueberries- you name it, she will eat it! We have yet to find a food that this little hippo will turn down.

My favorite food, although it took quite a lot of consideration, would have to be avocados. Pineapple is a close second. We eat a lot of raw foods in our house (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds etc.), and these are the foods which I am never without. I’ve also recently added Almond Ricotta as a staple food in our household…(drooling). I love food more now as a vegan than I ever did before!

Carly also interviewed me, you can read my answers on her site just click here.

The book was as I told Kim a breathe of fresh air, a warm hug, like coming home, resonating with every word written really. I don’t have many chef friends, most people have no clue about how extremely hard this job is. How physically and mentally draining it is, taxing on your body and mind. When I read this book I was like finally someone who truly understands how hard my job is. For that I’m grateful. It’s also full of tips, a handy glossary at the back and interviews with professionals. I really am grateful for the fact that I’ve met Kim, that I was able to contribute to her next book and that I’ve had the absolute pleasure to read and learn from her book.

“I love the craft of it, the workmanship, the physicality, the primal essence of what we do.”- Michael Jordan (page 157)

I feel exactly like that about cooking. I have been cooking for years in many different set ups and I am completely self taught. Beside the fact that my job is crazy hours and hard work it also is absolutely amazing. Every single day I get to cook my very own designed and created dishes, I always have complete freedom because my business partner knows I know my shit and has this ever ongoing trust in my knowledge and expertise, another thing I’m really grateful for (thank you Lisa!) I cook from the heart and always give my absolute everything. All I have its right there on the plate. The absolute most important thing to me is the animals. I always say I cook for the animals.

What I mean by that is that I have a bigger cause, that no matter what people might think of me and/or my food the more important thing is where it is all coming from, love. Pure, untouchable, unchangeable, love. I cook as part of a mission, like I teach yoga as part of a mission, like I write as part of a mission, sing, live, love and breathe because of a mission. Everything I do is for them. I am always the animal rights activist first, always the advocate for the animals first. Because of this mission, this bigger and better cause I want to do the absolute best job I can possibly do. I create, develop and design all of my recipes myself, for my vegan cooking and my vegan cheese making. I have studied, researched and learned an incredible amount about vegan nutrition, cooking techniques, kitchen logistics and being a professional chef. This learning is never ending. Everyday I learn. I cook, I learn, I cook, I learn, I screw up, I learn, I blow people away, I learn. It’s always the same learning.

People love my food. I always feel so overwhelmed when receiving all these compliments. And you know what I feel the most? You know what image I have in my head everytime I get a compliment? Every time someone says oh my god this is the best cheese I’ve ever had? The image of the animals hugging me. The image of a cow smiling. The gratitude I feel for the people is the gratitude I feel from the animals. And then there is the pure joy of being in a kitchen, love for the actual act of cooking. Doing 1000 things at the same time, getting order after order in, smashing it all out in minimum amount of time with maximum amount of love and precision.

“Chefs have limited time- in a cruel twist of fate, as mortals, they’re bestowed the same measly 24 hours a day- and dar more demands win those hours than most of us.” (Page 50)

Plated with style, expertise, food design. I love what I do. I love my craft. I would not want to do anything else right now but this. I would not want to be anywhere else right now then right here in Lisbon. Creating and cooking beautiful food for Foodprintz Cafe, creating and making amazing vegan cheese with my very own company Gopal Vegan Cheese. Bringing nourishment and love to the people through healthy, vegan food. I am so proud of what I’ve become, how far I’ve come in my craft and I am determined to keep striving, to keep developing, to keep creating, designing, baking and cooking the best food I can. Come try for yourself.

My whole life I have had only one mission. SPEAK UP AND TAKE A STAND! All my work, all I have ever done, either in creating my own work on the theatre and performance industry or now as a vegan cheese maker, chef and yoga teacher its still the same mission. To take a stand, to speak up, to share my views…. let me tell you. It is working. Why? How? Allow me to tell you something pretty incredible. Last week I was part of ECO ORGANII MARKET, a massive event here at LX FACTORY in Lisbon. I was invited to do a Show Cooking with my vegan cheese company GOPAL VEGAN CHEESE. We live in a world where people just want to be on their phones, unfortunately people now have the concentration spans of a goldfish, or a two year old. BUT…… I swear to you all over a hundred people were mesmerised by my talk. For a FULL HOUR I had people just at my lips, listening, sucking up every word I was saying.

And I wasn’t just explaining the technical side of making vegan cheese and vegan cheese recipes, NO. I was sharing my love, my commitment, my mission as an animal rights activist. Which to me is the most important message, the most important part of my work. Being an advocate for the cows and all animals! It worked. I tell you. I talked about the importance of LOVE, love for animals, love for yourself, love for what you do. It made me realise how much I miss “performing” and talking to a big crowd. It inspired me to do more public speaking, a possible TED talk maybe or developing a short stand up show about my work and experiences, it mostly inspired me to keep going and smashing out vegan cheeses every week, every month. It is so encouraging to see this interest, this focus from all these people. It also shows that if you are committed and passionate about something then TAKE A STAND AND SHARE IT! People will listen! Because I will never stop. I will keep going, always. The animals need me. The animals need you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. I appreciate it so much.

So we live in a very capitalistic world, i know that. I am very aware of that, i don’t like it, but i know it. I have come to terms with it in a certain way, like this week i just had this realisation, even companies you would initially think are a bit more open minded, have a bit more heart are just as much about capitalism and making money like any other big company and corporations. Take soy companies for example, i live in Lisbon and my partner and i like to support Portuguese brands and products. So we bought SHOYCE a new soy milk product, Portuguese made and then after visiting their site i was just shocked, because pretty much all their recipes on the site are meat based. ALPRO is the exact same deal when you go to their site. So, i had to come to terms with the following, even though something can be a “vegan” product like soy milk it doesn’t mean that the producers of this product are necessarily vegan and or against animal cruelty, that totally hit me. What proved my point even more here is that SHOYCE now even are promoting the ZOO!!!!!!!! Prison. So it is something to be mindful of, dear friends. This is just the world we live in.

Speaking of ZOO’s though i really loved this article, one of the most famous zoo owners publicly opens up and says he hopes zoos will face out, how he hopes animals can return back “home”. This is the thing, the tipping point, the turn around, i strongly believe people can turn 180 degrees, turn completely around, because really zoos are prisons. We actually live behind the zoo here in Lisbon and it breaks my heart every time we walk past, they claim to: “PROTECT WILDLIFE” but really they should change that into “CAPTIVATE WILDLIFE” . Protecting is a whole different thing then keeping an animal away from his natural habitat and charging people money to witness this captivation and enslavement.

Every breath I take, everything I do is for the animals, the non- human animal beings on this planet. It’s for those who are voiceless, for those who are powerless, for those beautiful, wonderful creatures who bring such joy to my heart. My vegan journey started a few years back when I joined the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in the fight for what is right, protecting ocean-life worldwide. As the Chief Cook I learned so much about cooking but also about life, about activism and my love for all beings just started growing more and more. I also learned a huge lesson, food isn’t just food, food can be a weapon too. The revolution starts in the kitchen.

I learned that no longer did I have to fight the fight with such violence but I could just fight the fight wearing an apron. My work for SSCS inspired me to write my own vegan cookbook which is called: Karo’s Nutritious and Delicious Cruelty Free Dishes, it has a German version too: ICH BIN EIN VEGANER and currently the book is being translated in Portuguese. I have travelled the world with the book and mostly the message, cooking for people, talking to people, spreading the very important vegan message, speaking for those who can’t speak, I actually believe they CAN speak, they just aren’t heard. As long as I live I will continue this work, because I will never stop.

For me it’s all ONE. The activism, the talks, blogging, writing and most of all cooking. I believe that you can change the world, one vegan chocolate brownie at the time. I also strongly stand for the fact that being vegan isn’t just a diet, it’s a way of living. It shines through in all I do. I am also a JIVAMUKTI yoga teacher, in my work as a yoga teacher (I always say I am an activist teaching yoga, NOT a yoga teacher) I always strive to make a difference, to spread the message and share my stories as an animal rights activist. I have been lucky enough to teach and cook on many different retreats all over the world, in 2015 I was in Australia, Holland, Germany, Spain and Italy, cooking and teaching and it works so well to speak about veganism in a class and then have the same people eat my vegan meals, it’s all inter connected, so many people are looking for change, so many people are waking up now and start thinking more consciously about who they are and what they could do for the world. It brings me so much hope, us vegans, we have a huge job to do as long as we are humble and sincere we will get there.

“Life is a piece of cake” with Sharon Gannon (co-founder Jivamukti Yoga)

LOKAH SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU: MAY ALL BEINGS EVERYWHERE BE HAPPY AND FREE AND MAY THE THOUGHTS, WORDS AND ACTIONS OF MY OWN LIFE CONTRIBUTE IN SOME WAY TO THAT HAPINESS AND FREEDOM FOR ALL!

A REVOLUÇÃO COMEÇA NA CONZINHA!

The revolution starts in the kitchen. Veganism is a definite force to reckon with. It is such a powerful way to make a difference in the world. I can tell you hands on that the revolution indeed starts in the kitchen. My love for cooking is HUGE, it really is the one thing in the world that makes me utterly happy. For many reasons, to name a few, I love the actual act of cooking, carefully choosing the ingredients, then go to the markets to get the ingredients, then start preparing the food, creating something from scratch, there’s such magic in that. I also love cooking for lots of people, bringing people together through food, building community, that to me is a strong part to why I love what I do and then most importantly, I don’t cook to impress, I don’t cook to show off, I don’t cook to make it into a fancy magazine or video, I cook for the animals.

My heart is completely in it, for that reason and that reason only. There is love in my food, because the food I cook has not harmed a soul, what I mean by carefully choosing is really that. I am a conscious cook. First of all vegan, so of course no dairy, no meat, no animal tested products or any products which could contain animals, but also no palm oil, no canola oil and I buy from local farmers always. To support the community and this beautiful country, I don’t shop at the supermarket (or as I call it the stupid market) most of my dried goods come from AMOR BIO or MIOSOTIS. I like to shop and eat organic as much as I can, with the little money I have. Expanding the mind and heart, I call that and just being creative with what you have.

Okay, so back to the kitchen. I am used to cooking from scratch, when I was cooking on board the ship(s) we had no choice but to cook with what’s there and it still is my favorite way of cooking, but I have of course also worked with a set menu and following recipes. But as mentioned earlier for me the most important ingredient is love, I can taste it straight away myself when a chef doesn’t have the love, it makes such a difference. I also think we should never underestimate the power of being a vegan chef. Through food and our vegan creations we make people think, we make people come to a realization of wait a minute, this vegan thing, it might really suit me. We are making a difference on a spiritual level- creating for the animals and touching people’s souls through their stomachs first and also on a technical level-we are trying new things, we experiment, we develop new ways of creating food on such a high scale and high level, it’s really mind blowing and revolutionary.

A MINHA EXPERIÊNCIA:

My love for food started in my grandmother’s kitchen. She was an incredible cook and a magnificent baker and she let me do anything I wanted, I was always playing around with pots and pans and flour. That’s where my personal revolution in the kitchen was born. I turned vegetarian at a very young age and the small town I was living in had very little on offer, so I would come up with my own meals, always trying new things. Later on I started cooking more and more, for friends, family, big groups of people, I got into catering a bit and started cooking for bands, going on tour with them, looking after their needs. After all that and focusing on other projects in my life I got back to cooking a few years ago and the place where I really developed myself as a vegan cook was the Bob Barker, one of the vessels owned by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, I learned so much, I started doing my own research, learning a lot about nutrition too and when I returned home (which at the time was Sydney, Australia) I wrote and published my own vegan cookbook. (currently being translated in Portuguese)

With the book I started touring around the country, doing many different talks and I started my own company: THE VEGANATOR. I facilitated vegan cooking workshops, seminars, catering, training, special events, you name it, for a few years in Sydney and last year I did a huge tour all over the world with promoting the book through cooking workshops. At the end of last year and beginning of this year I ran a vegan by –donation restaurant in Sydney called: Lentil as Anything. We would look after 250-300 people everyday, lots and lots and lots of food and lots and lots and lots of cooking and kitchen logistics involved. Another big event I got together was on World Vegan Day 2014 called: TEN TIMES THE LOVE, which was a 10-course vegan meal, 66 people were served and a crew of about 20. Absolute madness, but I would do it all over again. I moved to Lisbon mid April 2015, where I have been teaching yoga and cooking vegan for different events. I regularly cooked at a guesthouse in Ericeira (OMASSIM) in 2015 and ran a few of my own vegan cooking workshops at the Food Temple and i am just about to embark on the next chapter of my life and career starting FOODPRINTZ CAFE with my partner in crime: Lisa Dickmann.

My heart is in this. I am so passionate, so dedicated and so inspired by veganism. I want to thank you for the opportunity to share some of my knowledge, creations and words with you, keep reading!

“Your own transformation and healing is the most convincing element” from answers from the heart by Thich Nat Hahn

More and more people are looking for change, are reaching out in one way or the other they come to yoga, they come to spiritualism, they come to veganism, they come to exploring something new. They have all found the key to the magic door, they all have come to this place from the same thought: “there must be something else out there.” “I can no longer take this anymore. “ Sounds familiar? WELCOME to VEGAN LAND. For me, it was loud and clear from a young age. The feisty Indian tiger on my right thigh, the smiling whale-defender whale on my left thigh, the flying bird escaping the cage which reads “BORN TO BE FREE” on my chest, VIVE A DEIXA VIVER (live and let live) on my heart, my tattoos speak for themselves. Everything I do is always FOR THE ANIMALS. I am completely, utterly devoted to the HAPINESS & FREEDOM for all beings. How does one do this? Two simple words: GO VEGAN! Another very important word: COMPASSION.

COMPASSION means to feel with. COM-with PASSION-to feel. Being compassionate means, what another being is experiencing we feel simultaneously. Especially when we seek for oneness of being. We ultimately all do, we all want this oneness, because separateness is the cause of all suffering in this world. We all want to be devoted, loving, compassionate beings, bringing together that which appears to be separate. This to me is veganism.

WHAT IS VEGANISM? I believe there are three kinds of vegans. Ethical vegans, environmental vegans and health vegans, all three “types” are strongly devoted to a plant-based diet, without any dairy or meat products. I am an ethical vegan, it’s very simple, I have loved animals for as long as I can remember, they are my friends, I don’t eat my friends, I don’t use or abuse my friends, I don’t capture or torture my friends nor would I ever milk them. So there is the ethical side, but I also strongly support people who come to veganism pure from an environmental perspective, let me give you a few facts.

In the US fifty percent of the water pollution is caused by the meat and dairy industry, besides the military the meat and dairy industry are also the biggest oil users, so you might think oh well, those wars in the Middle East, I have nothing to do with that, well think again next time you eat a piece of steak, or drink a glass of milk, because you do have something to do with it, there is a direct correlation there, that’s a fact. And then there is the extreme health benefit, I have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people who turned their worlds around by changing their diets to a vegan diet, many of these people were very ill, overweight or heavily depressed. Veganism turned them into brand new beings, shining this bright light; they started living more balanced lives in total harmony with themselves and others. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be part of that process, to see a little glimpse of the magic. I have seen incredible change happen hands on especially with the vegan workshops I hold on a national and international level (I am currently based in Lisbon, Portugal, bringing vegan to the people)

“Not everyone can stand on their heads everyday, but everybody eats. You can practice and vote for a more peaceful, prosperous and happy world three times a day when you sit down to eat.”

The wonderful Barbara Decker interviewed me for Yoga Journal Germany last year and she asked a very good, valuable question I would like to share with you.

What are the pro and cons of the vegan diet?

There are no cons. There are different motivations for vegan diets: an ethical opinion, ecologic, environmental factors or health reasons. Some people adopt a vegan diet only for health reasons, that doesn’t make him or her a vegan; it just means they are on a “plant-based diet”. Because BEING VEGAN means a complete change of lifestyle, including clothing and cosmetics. Being vegan really is a complete life change, considering a lot of factors. For example, I personally struggled finding a good natural deodorant, it needs to be natural, it needs to not be animal tested, it needs to not have any animal products in it, I eventually found one, some things just take a little time and investigation. But hey, I always come back to the essence of all this: ANYTHING FOR THE ANIMALS. I also decided a few years back that my dear Jack Russell: Sparky (see picture) should also adopt a vegan diet and he did, happily. www.veganpet.com.au in Australia and http://www.amipetfood.com in Europe.

NO MEAT ATHLETE!

If a person thinks that a vegan diet comes with cons they simply haven’t sourced or found enough information about it. Even bodybuilders, boxers, athletes, etc. are living and high- performing on completely vegetable based diets. I have a close relationship with Chris Rowe who runs Sydney Vegan Strength, we held an event together last year in Sydney: SPIRITUAL BOOTCAMP which focused on just that, a weekend of practices and a menu of plant based nutrition for people who exercise on high level. So many people are unaware of the fact that all essential vitamins and elements are part of a well- balanced vegan diet. I think the most important thing is to be well informed. A good cookbook can help. It’s the one and only reason why I wrote one, to serve, encourage and inspire others, to give them the right information and DIY recipes, sweet and simple. If you are considering a vegan diet the best thing to do is to get in touch with people who are already vegan. To become part of the vegan community is the easiest way to achieve that goal. Anyone can do this, anyone can come to this and really to me, everyone should.

There are many vegan athletes out there who are truly inspiring and incredible these two are my personal favorites:

A dear vegan friend told me that l really gave her a push about the vegan story. She told me that being a mother it just became more and more clear to her that in this crazy world living vegan is one of the direct contributes she could have to the future of her kids, or to put it even stronger she is obliged to, because choosing to give birth to future adults while eating up their future really doesn’t make any sense, I could not agree more. I personally feel that this is our duty of care, I guess even stronger when you are a mother and have children of your own, but in general, as a citizen of this planet, we need to think of our future generations, we need to leave them a world in which they can still experience the beauty of nature, of wildlife, how horrible would it be if our children of the future wake up one day and ask themselves the question, I wonder what an animal looked like in real life?

BE A HAPPY, JOYFUL VEGAN!

Living by example, being a happy vegan is by far the most important factor in bringing vegan to the people. I have seen this change in myself, I see so much more result in my (vegan) actions ever since I started this new approach of just total compassion, love and joy. To have fun with it all, my workshops, talks, classes are all like that, the vegan joy is always there. One of my most important vegan kitchen rules is doing a vegan boogie while you cook, to embrace the joy of living a cruelty-free life. So that would be my advice to everyone: BE A HAPPY VEGAN! Be overly and utterly AWARE of what it is you are doing, bringing about, creating and well, eating. Know that it is all within you, you don’t have to seek for it anywhere else, love and compassion, it’s all in us, we just experience disconnect and re-connect in our life-times on this planet. Connecting to the Earth is a good starting point to re-connect, through yoga, meditation, a vegan diet, healthy living, reading, we get to learn the teachings of life and how to embrace them.

Being a happy vegan for me personally means encouraging & inspiring others by attracting people to the way i live my vegan life. I love that I am alive, I love that I am vegan and I love that I have been enabled to live a life of truth, of doing what needs to be done, of saying what needs to be said, a life of serving others, of creating space for people to change, to evolve, to re-connect, review, reflect. I am wholeheartedly dedicated to all animal beings. I am fully devoted to a cruelty free life-style and the betterment of the world. You should too, because one thing I know is to never underestimate the power of the individual, BE THE CHANGE, because you CAN.

Never underestimate the power of the individual.

“There has never been any positive social change initiated by governments and institutions. All progressive changes have come about because of the actions of individuals or small groups of individuals. Never believe that an individual does not have the power to change the world” Margaret Mead